MATT SORUM Reacts To The Wrath Of SCOTT WEILAND; Video Available

VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum recently spoke to the Artisan News Service about the circumstances that led to group's split with singer Scott Weiland.

The band parted ways with Weiland last month following a European tour. Weiland has now reunited with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS.

Sorum told the the Artisan News Service that Weiland was swayed by industry insiders who wanted him to be back in STONE TEMPLE PILOTS.

[Watch video of Matt speaking] "When the [last VELVET REVOLVER] album ('Libertad') came out, it wasn't as impactful as the first record," he said. "I think at that point people in the business end of things started dangling the carrot for STP and pulled him away from us a little bit, I think. He started getting his head someplace else. Unfortunately, when people dangle the carrot, sometimes you bite. The vibe got weird, and I think we just felt the vibe. And it just kind of got bad at that point."

The tension between Weiland and the rest of the band came to a head in late March when the singer announced onstage in Glasgow that fans were watching the "last tour" by the group. Weiland and drummer Matt Sorum proceeded to get into a public war of words online, fueling speculation that the band was splitting apart.

[Watch video of Matt speaking] "I did a blog on my web site [apologizing for Weiland's outburst at the Glasgow show], which I get [maybe] 200 people look at," Sorum told the Artisan News Service. "I don't know how many people look at it. The strangest thing about the Internet now is that damn Google alert! So I just put up a blog. I said, 'Hey man...' At first I thought it was sort of damage control, kind of thing, and I said, 'Hey I'm sorry about the vibe onstage.' We were in Glasgow, Scotland in front of some of the greatest fans in the world, and I felt bad for them. I really did. I felt bad. I was in my hotel, and I couldn't sleep. I was upset, and I said, 'I'm really sorry for what went down some of us are just unhappy."

[Watch video of Matt speaking] "Everybody could see what was going on that was there at the gig. It was very evident. I just said, 'Hey...' That's what I felt at the time, and the next thing I know it's up on Blabbermouth and every other site in the world, and then I got the wrath of Mr. Scott Weiland skinny little guy as he is. He's the kind of guy that would drive by you in a car and shout out some shit to you, and then he's got three buddies in there and then run. It's like,' Fuck you too, pal!' You know? If I saw him right now he'd probably be running down an alley way. He knows I'm twice his size. What the fuck?!"

Sorum has had a busy couple of weeks between launching his boutique and paying tribute to bandmate Slash at a recent MusiCares benefit. But he also told The Pulse of Radio that the search for a new VELVET REVOLVER singer is moving forward. "It's coming along," he said. "People are sending stuff in. The first time we were looking for a singer it was a little tougher, 'cause people didn't really know what we were doing musically, I guess. So this time it's gotten out of control, especially with the Internet and things like that, we've got just thousands and thousands of people coming at us with, you know, auditions."